The Quiltmaker's Gift Unit Study

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The Quiltmaker’s Gift Unit Study Lessons

This unit study includes lessons and printables based on the book The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau.

Here are some sample lessons from the The Quiltmaker’s Gift Unit Study.

Geography: The Seven Continents
A two-page picture spread (about ¾ way through the book) shows the king traveling the world as he gives he gifts away. This is a great opportunity for you to introduce your student to the seven continents.

Show your student a globe or world map and name the seven continents. Review them each day. One way you can do this is by asking your student to remember (or imagine) items the king gave away and choose a destination for the king to deposit that item. For example, your student may remember the blue waltzing cats. You can say, “the king is going to leave the blue waltzing cats in Asia. Do you remember where Asia is?” Have him show you on your globe or map, then continue with the game. What else did the king give away? “That’s right, he gave away a mirror. Move to Australia and have him drop it off.” Keep going until you have traveled around the world.

Language Arts: Adjectives (Words that Describe)
Find the page with all the king’s things. Read it again with your child… “Things that shimmered and glittered and glowed…” Can you describe the things in the room with your child? Try to fill in the blank: Things that _________ or fill in this blank ________ things. You can look at the lizard and say, “let’s describe the lizard – slimy things or green things.” Now, try it for any of the other objects. Ask your child, “What do you see?” I see sparkling things, red things, yellow things, silver things, frosted things, breakable things, sharp things. You get the idea. You don’t have to use the word adjectives, but at least you know you are paving the way. If your child can’t think of any describing words, you can play a game with it. “I see flying things, can you find them?” As you play this game, your child will learn new describing words.

Art: Repetition
In design, repetition occurs when any individual component is used more than once. The four basic types of repetition are shape/volume, size, position, and direction. Gail de Marcken brings life to repetition. Every page is full of unending examples of every type of repetition (this is especially noted in the blue cats and the birds–both flying and in the trees). This repetition creates a unified experience from beginning to end.

Talk to your student about the different types of repetition and see if there is a picture he likes because of it. A great way to introduce this technique is by using stamps, stickers, or even cutouts of a favorite shape or form. Overlap and put them side-by-side, just experiment with the repetition and enjoy a unified result. Remember to look around and find repetition in your home (steps, books on a bookshelf, flooring, mini-blinds, etc.).

You can grab a copy of the entire The Quiltmaker’s Gift Unit Study and Lapbook in an easy-to-print file at the end of this post.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift Printables

In addition to the unit study lessons, this file includes a few printables for your student’s notebook:

The Seven Continents Layer Book
Seven Continents Cards
Proverbs 15:1 Copywork Page
Quilt Math Simple Fold Book
Describing Words Activity Page
Ways I Can Show Kindness to Animals Bound Book
I Spy the King’s Things Activity Page

How to Get Started with Your The Quiltmaker’s Gift Unit Study

Follow these simple instructions to get started with the The Quiltmaker’s Gift Unit Study:

Buy a copy of the book, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, or borrow one from your local library.
Print the The Quiltmaker’s Gift unit study.
Choose the lessons you want to use with your student (a highlighter works great for this).
Choose and prepare the lapbook printables you want to use with your student.
Enjoy a week of learning with the king and the quiltmaker.